Fate
by OracleVortex
Summary: Link thinks about his role as Hero of Time. Written for Kadros The Minion of Time.


Fate

By OracleVortex

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Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with The Legends of Zelda. I wish I did, but I don't. Blah. 

For the longest time, I was scratching my head and wondering and asking what the hell a 'muse' was, and I even offered a fic to whomever could tell me what they were. Kadros The Minion of Time responded and explained it to me, and now I have three official muses!! (If you want to know about them, see my profile…I somehow doubt that you do, though…) So I wrote this especially for Kadros. Kudos to Kadros! Thanx, man!

And speaking of Kadros…he and I are writing a Majora's Mask fic together as of now! It's a humour/actionadventure, where he and I basically take Link's place in Termina. I hope that you all will check it out when we get enough to post! It'll be great I tell you! And if you can't find it under my profile and whatnot, be sure to check Kadros'. Thankies!

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"Whether a parting be forever or merely for a short time...that is up to you…"

If you looked at the Happy Mask Salesman, you would never have thought that such an idea had come from his mouth. But as I stand here, a seventeen-year old mind in a ten-year old body, I can see the impeccable wisdom in his words. He looks directly at me when he says this, and I can't help but wonder if he is clairvoyant or if he is somehow merely seeing into my mind. Images come to me, unbidden by my thoughts, and the world of Termina hazes before my eyes.   

It's a beautiful day, a new day. I have only opened my eyes, and yet I know this. I let go of the Master Sword, small hands unaccustomed to the strange largeness of the sword. A hop helps me to step down from the pedestal. A stumble backwards makes me almost trip down the steps. I tilt my head to the single bay window in the chamber, bathing in the wash of golden, pure sunlight. I have done it. I have saved Hyrule, and now the land will be free of Ganon and free of his darkness and hatred. 

I hear the light tap of footsteps on marble floors behind me. 

"Link?" The soft inquiry of a young maiden reaches my ears. "I need to close the door."

Turning, I come face-to-face with the adolescent princess of Hyrule, Zelda. I stare into a gentle face, and meet the gaze of a woman with the wisdom of ages. Zelda is a sage and the holder of the Triforce of wisdom. She shall forever remember what I have prevented, just as I will always remember what could have, and did, happen. 

I obey her suggestion, coming to stand by her side. Together we watch as the glowing doors draw shut, sliding closed with no more sound than a thin whisper. That is when I last see the Master Sword, the Pedestal of Time and the passage to the future. I gladly welcome it, in some small way, but I am regretful more than anything else. I may appear to be a ten-year old, but my mind knows otherwise. I will forever know how to use a longsword, but my body will not be able to handle it for another seven years. In the seven years that I have regained, I will become what was called the Hero of Time. 

I think that Zelda knew that I didn't want to talk about anything, and I think that she knew that I had some sort of inner decision to make. She vanished away, leaving me to my thoughts. Leaving me to my struggles. 

As I have said twice already, I was a mature mind in an immature body. I had all the thoughts, the concerns, the thirsts and quirks of a mid-teen, and yet I had not the ability to express these ideas, or even begin to act on them. I would also always be the Hero of Time. The need for adventure and the need to fight…no, the instinct to fight, would always be in my blood. It would be in my system, egging me on and running a vein of adrenaline through my body. I needed to be in battle. I needed to be in a struggle of good and evil. I needed to banish evils and darkness. It was my nature. It was my calling and fate. I willingly accepted it with all I was and would be. 

Although, there was something else to consider.  Hyrule was at peace, Hyrule was back to the bay it was; the Zoras were fine, the Sheikah were fine and the Castle was fine, and Ganon…was gone. I can't count how many times I wished everything were back to normal. I wished it when I saw the underbelly of everything dark. I wished it when I saw the face and the embodiment of everything dark. When I put away that darkness, when I put away the Master sword, and when I closed my eyes, all I wished was that it was back the way it was.

It'll never be the same. Never.

Zelda sensed that my thoughts were a swirling mist of coils and knots, and sent me on a minor side-quest to ease my mind. Uncertainty filled me as I revisited the places of the races, giving back the Spiritual Stones. Ruto was devastated at my gesture, but I know that she will understand in time. Saria only gave me a small, sad smile clutching the ocarina that I had no heart to keep. Darunia gave me the wisdom of his people, along with a painful Goron hug. 

Milling my memories and musings in my skull, I was met Kakariko's gate by a young red-eyed youth. He introduced himself as Sheik, and I recognized that this was the silent guide that I already knew. He inquired to my distress, playing with the navy laces of his black tunic. I answered that I was caught between fate and the promise of an easy life. The Sheikah stared at me quite seriously and I realized that he had no memory of what occurred. In fact, he had no memory of me.  It seemed that the remembrance of the Sages did not extend to their only protector and messenger. 

"To go against fate is to lose all rewards." He said to me. "Follow your heart and you will be lead to what was promised." 

To be so empathic so early in life is quite the gift. I had seen a Sheik formed by war. If I followed destiny, then I would never see a Sheik forged in peace. Despite this, I took his advice to heart. 

To this day, I do not know what swayed the battle in my heart or compelled me to leave the land I had strived to preserve. All I know is that I had fulfilled the first step of my destiny, and that I had to move on. I was a Hero of Time, not just a Hero of Hyrule.

Zelda awaited me in the field, reigns to Epona in one slender hand. A sad look, one that mirrored Saria's, reflected in her eyes, and she gave me the Ocarina of Time. A risk for her…a blessing for me. Goddesses bless her for that.

Yes, I had saved the land of Termina. They lived to see a new day, and I lived to once more follow my destiny. I would see Zelda and Sheik, Saria and the rest again. Perhaps it won't be for a while, but I will return one day. In all the people and places I will save, surely this is a reward worth accepting my destiny for. 

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All right, this was supposed to originally be a romance, but I kind of wandered off topic. Oh well. And I'm sorry about the weird sort of format, but Link was flashing and commenting at the same time. I hope it isn't hard to comprehend. 

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End file.
